The drive for â€œHealthy People 2010â€ organized by the US Dept of Health and Human Services has been well supported by researchers from the American Paediatrics Academy.

This campaign has recommended strict and exclusive breast feeding for the baby for at least six months, and then continues further on a disconnected basis for the next six more months.

They have linked the duration of breast feeding with a multitude of health benefits for both the mother and her baby. However, some dentists feel that early weaning is the better for a good future oral health.

In a bid to resolve these differences, the Breast-Feeding Committee in the United States have performed extensive research of the currently available scientific data and have put their findings forward to a panel of experts.

These reports have suggested that tooth decay is the most common infectious disease amongst children. It has affected more than 41 percent of young kids before they reach kindergarten.

High instances of tooth decay are mostly genetic and easily percolate down each generation from their mothers.

Hence, it is of utmost importance that the mother ensures good oral hygiene and thus health. She should also take baby to a dentist regularly, to rule out any possible dental illnesses.

Even children as young as a few months should be taken to dentists periodically to ensure a proper assessment of his oral health.